Policy

WHO

The WHO Regional Committee for Europe monitors progress towards preventing violence and injury

Unintentional injuries and violence are gaining prominence in public health agenda in the last decade. A 2005 resolution of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe guides WHO/Europe’s work to prevent injuries. Regional Committee Resolution EUR/RC55/R9 on preventing injuries in the European Region focuses on working with countries in the main areas of policy making, surveillance, capacity building for prevention and services, supporting a network of health ministry focal points and facilitating the exchange of best practice. WHO/Europe reported on progress in implementing the resolution in 2008, based on a survey in 31 Member States, and in 2010, based on a survey in 47 countries. The European Commission had the complimentary communication and Council Recommendation on the prevention of injury and the promotion of safety adopted in 2007.

There are also global policy developments with World Health Assembly Resolutions and United Nations General Assembly Resolutions that further mandate public health action in violence and injury prevention:

EUR/RC55/R9 resolution on Prevention of injuries in the WHO European Region

These initiatives have emphasized injuries and violence as a societal priority, and have provided a policy platform from which a more systematic and coordinated approach to injury prevention can be made at the regional and national level.